Feed mechanism for sewing-machines.



A. L. DAWSON.

FEED MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION TILED J ULY 2, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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A.. L. DAWSON.

FEED MECHANISM FOB. SEWING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION IILED JULY 2,1909. 968,329. Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTEMAS L. DAWSON, OF DEVALL BLUFF, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TOJOEL M. MCCLINTOCK, OF DEVALL BLUFF, ARKANSAS.

FEED MECHANISM FOR SEVVING-M'AGHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTEMAs L. DAWSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Devall Bluff, in the county of Prairie and State ofArkansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feed Mechanismfor Sewing-Machines, (Case 13,) of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates generally to feed mechanism for sewing machines,and particularly to a means for controlling the action of the fabricfeeding device.

In a prior application for Letters Patent, filed May 25, 1909, SerialNo. 498,286, I have shown, described and claimed a feed mechanism bywhich the direction of feed motion of the feed plate or device may bereversed for stitching backward and to secure the ends of a seam againstloosening or raveling, or sew a zigzag or irregular seam without turningthe fabric, or whereby the feed plate or device may be reciprocated backand forth to sew any one stitch over and over at one point and make whatI term a shuffle stitch to tie or look the thread against ravelmg.

The object of the present invention is to providea differentconstruction of means for eflecting the same results, as well as toprovide a mechanism which is more compact and therefore better adaptedfor use upon some makes of machines without varying the generalconstruction and arrangement of the usual parts.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a Viewshowing one of the many applications of the invention to es sentialparts of the feed mechanism of a sewing machine. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection on line 22 of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a similar section on line 33 ofFig. 4, omitting the feed or clutch pawl. Fig. 4 is a front elevationshowing the feed pawl set for a forward feed motion of the fabric, andthe controller arranged to trip the pawl for a backward feed motion ofthefabric. Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating the movement of thepawl past the controller in such action. Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 5 showing the parts arranged for a shuffle stitch action. Fig. 7 isa like view showing the parts arranged for a continuous forward feed ofthe fabric. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the controller.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a shaft of themachine on which is a cam or eccentric 2 which, through the medium of arod or pitman 3, communicates motion to a rocking arm or lever 4 foractuating the rocker member 5 which imparts a vertical oscillatorymotion to the feed bar or plate 6. The shaft 1, which ordinarily extendsthrough and is j ournaled in the hollow arm of the machine, alsocommunicates motion in the ordinary manner through any suitable knowntype of connecting means to the needle bar of the machine. Also mountedon the shaft 1 is a cam or eccentric 7 which communicates motion througha rod or pitman 8 to a rock shaft 9 which reciprocates the feed bar orplate 6 back and forth. These parts operate in timed accord with theaforesaid parts for imparting vertical reciprocatory motion to the feedbar or plate, and are controlled in action by my improved feedcontrolling means for the purposes described.

The cam or eccentric 7 has an integral laterally extending hub or collar10 which is loosely mounted therewith on the shaft 1 and which collar isprovided with a pair of peripheral clutch pins or projections 11 and 12,arranged at an angle of about 180 apart and on opposite sides of thecircumferential center of said collar. This collar forms one member of aclutch, the other or complemental member of which comprises a collar 13fixed to the shaft and arranged on the side of said loose collar 10opposite the ec centric 7. Said collar 13 is provided with a transversebearing 14 for an oscillatory stem 15 which projects beyond the oppositesides thereof and carries at its relatively inner end a feed dog or pawl16, the opposite end of said stem being connected with the collar by aspring 17 which tends to maintain it in a prescribed position in itsoscillatory move ment and controls such movement.

The feed pawl or dog 16 is preferably in the form of an oblongrectangular plate intermediately mounted upon the stem to provide an arm18 to engage the pins 11 and 12 and an arm 19 adapted to cooperate withthe fingers or elements of a controlling device, as hereinafterdescribed. The pawl is normally maintained by the action of the spring17 with the edge of its arm 18 in pin-engaging position, the spring,however, permitting the pawl to yield so that its engaging arm 18 willride over the clutch pins when the shaft is rearwardly rotated for anypurpose, as in effecting an adjustment of the needle bar, and also sothat the pawl may be tilted by the controlling device to throw it out ofengagement with either clutch pin in adjusting the feed mechanism forthe different actions previously described. The arm 19 of the pawl isprovided at one side with a notch 20, thereby forming a finger 21.lVhile I have shown and described a particular relative construction andarrangement of the clutch pins and pawl, any equivalent construction andarrangement of these parts or any equivalent construction of means forperforming the same function may be employed.

In some types of machines the main shaft 1 rotates in the upperhorizontal arm of the machine, which is made hollow for this purpose,and mounted on said shaft within the arm is the cam or eccentric (notshown) which actuates the shuttle mechanism and also, as shown, the cam,or eccentric which imparts the back and forth or horizontalreciprocatory motion to the feed bar or plate. A supporting bar or strip22 is mounted in practice in said hollow arm of the machine below and inadvance of the shaft 1 or in any other suitable position to avoidinterference with the rotating parts, and is connected at one end withthe rod 8 for vertical reciprocatory motion therewith. In the presentinstance I have shown such end of the bar formed with a longitudinalslot 23 through which passes a screw 24 entering the rod and slidablyand detachably securing the bar thereto, the slidable connectionpermitting the controller to be properly arranged for operation withrespect to the feed pawl. The other end of the bar 22 is connected withan adjusting lever or handle 25 which is designed in practice to extendoutwardly through a slot in the hollow arm of the machine. This lever orhandle is shown in the present instance as extending through alongitudinal slot 26 in a latch plate 27 and provided with a springlocking dog or member 28 normally movable away from said lever to engagethe end por tions 29 and 30 of the upper wall of the slot or to engagean intermediate notch or recess 31 therein for the purpose of lockingthe bar in diflerent positions.

A pair of posts 32 projects from the face of the slotted end of the bar22 and supports a fixed pivot pin 33 carrying a permutation controllingdevice 34 in the form of a substantially rectangular controlling platehaving at its normally lower edge rearwardly bent cars 35 pivotallyengaging said pin. This controlling plate is arranged immediately belowand in advance of the clutch members 10 and 13 and the feed pawl 16 andinclines upwardly and rearwardly toward the same, its upper edge beingarranged to normally rest upon the upper edge of the bar 22 to supportit in such inclined position. A spring 36 surrounds the pin 33 andserves to normally maintain the plate in the operative positiondescribed, while permitting it to tilt outwardly or forwardly undercertain conditions, as hereinafter stated.

The upper edge of the controller plate 34 has extending therefromterminal fingers 37 and 38 and an intermediate finger 39. The fingers 38and 39 are straight and extend in parallel relation, while the finger 37is L- shaped and produces between it and the finger 39 a notch 10. Thefingers 37 and 39 are coextensive in length or project the same distancefrom the plate, while the finger 38 is relatively shorter. In theoperation of the machine the bar 22 and controller plate 3% vibratevertically with the rod 8 as the latter is reciprocated up and down bythe action of the eccentric 7. The fingers 37, 38 and 39 are arranged tobe brought by a longitudinal shifting movement of the bar 22 independently in the path of movement of the arm 19 of the pawl to controlthe action of the latter. The purpose of the finger 39 is to trip thepawl on each half revolution of the shaft 1 for alternate engagementwith the pins 11 and 12 and correspondingly varying the movement of therod 8 to alternately shift the feed plate 6 backward and forward. Thefingers 37 and 38 are designed to trip and reset the pawl for acontinuous backward or forward feed of the fabric, to properly disposethe pawl for one of these purposes after the mechanism has been operatedfor a different action.

The arrangement of the eccentric 7 is such with relation to the pins 11and 12 that the pawl 16 when engaged with the pin 11 is adapted tocouple the eccentric to the shaft 1 to transmit a continuous forwardfeed to the fabric in the usual way, and when the pawl is engaged withthe pin 12 a re verse feed motion is set up to continuously feed thefabric backward. hen the parts are adjusted for the shufile stitch thepawl is controlled in action to alternately engage the pins 11 and 12and thus effect an alternate back and forth movement of the feed plateand fabric within the limits of a single stitch. Assuming that the partshave been previously arranged for either a forward feed or a shuffiestitch action, Fig. 4 shows the controller adjusted to correct andcontrol the pawl for a backward feed action,

the pawl being in engagement with the forward feed clutch pin 11 and theeccentric arranged for the downward stroke of the rod 8. The machinebeing set into operation, the pawl will transmit motion to the eccentricand its finger 21 will engage the finger 37 of the controller, wherebythe arm 18 of the pawl will be thrown by the tripping of the pawl out ofengagement with the pin 11 and the finger 21 will slide upon and pastthe finger 37. The pawl will then resume its normal position through theaction of the spring 17 and will move around with the shaft 1 while theeccentric is at rest for a half revolution until it engages the pin 12,by which operation it will be corrected or set for the backward feedaction. During the interval of downward movement of the pawl and untilit is tripped by the finger 37, the downward movement of the rod iscompleted, so that as soon as the pawl engages the pin 12 the eccentricbegins its upward stroke which is completed and the rod and controllerplate move to their highest limit of movement at the time the arm 19 ofthe pawl in its orbit of movement comes into close proximity to thecontroller. As a result the parts are so disposed as to permit thereduced portion of the arm 19 and finger 21 of the pawl to pass throughthe notch 40 in the controller plate and the finger 37 of the latter topass through the notch 20 in said arm, whereby the pawl on eachrevolution is adapted to pass through the controller withoutinterference, so that the feed mechanism will now be operated for acontinuous backward feed motion of the fabric. Fig. 5 shows the relativearrangement of the parts of the controller and the trip arm of the pawlwhen the controller is adjusted for this operation and at that point inthe orbit of the movement of the pawl where it passes through the notchin the controller.

When it is desired to set the parts of the feed mechanism to effect aforward feed of the fabric, the bar 22 is shifted by means of the handle25 until the finger 38 of the controller is brought to a positionopposite the path of movement of the pawl. The pawl being in engagementwith the backward feed pin 12, it will be apparent that on the firstrevolution of the eccentric under these conditions the rod 8 andcontroller plate will be at the limit of their upward movement at thetime the arm 19 approaches said plate, so that said arm will strike thefinger 38 which will trip the pawl to move it out of engagement with thepin 12. The pawl will thereupon ride over and past the finger 38 andcontinue its motion for a half revolution while the eccentric is at restuntil it engages the pin 11, when the downward movement of the rod 8 andcontroller will begin, which movement will be suflicient at the time thearm 19 approaches the plate to throw the finger 39 below and out of thepath of movement of the pawl. The pawl may thus continue to rotate andtransmit motion to the eccentric through the pin 11 without interferencefrom the controller to impart a forward fabric feed motion to the feedplate 6. The operator on reaching the end of a seam sewed in the fabricduring such forward feed mot-ion by the adjustment of the controller tothe position first described and shown in Figs. 4c and 5, may reversethe feeding action so that the fabric may be fed backward and a reverseseam sewed therein for any distance from the end of the seam, to eitherdouble the strength of the seam, or to tie or lock the end of thethread, which latter may be then severed to free the fabric. A shiftingof the adjusting handle to its opposite position from this reverse feedmotion will restore the parts to the operative position for normal orforward feed motion, as will be readily understood,

It is desirable under some conditions to tie or lock the thread in adifierent manner from that described in order that the thread may betied within the length of a single stitch, which is accomplished byadjusting the feed mechanism to reciprocate the feed plate back andforth to stitch over and over through the fabric at one point and makewhat I term a shuttle stitch. It will be apparent from the foregoingdescription that in the adjustment of the parts for the forward andbackward feeding operations, the parts are locked in these respectivepositions by the engagement of the spring locking dog 28 with thesurfaces 29 and 30 of the latch plate 27 In adjusting the feed mechanismfor the shuflie stitch action, the lever 25 is moved to a centralposition in which it is held by the snapping of the spring dog into thenotch 31 of the latch plate. By this adjustment the controller plate 34will be moved to bring the finger 39 into the path of movement of thearm 19 of the feed pawl, so that said pawl will be tripped on each halfrevolution thereof. Assuming that the pawl is in engagement with the pin12, it will be understood that the parts will be set for a backwardmotion of the fabric the length of a single stitch, at which time thearm 19 will engage the finger 39, by which the pawl will be tilted andreleased from engagement with said pin 12. The eccentric 7 will,therefore, remain at rest for a half revolution during the time of thestitch, or until the pawl engages the pin 11, whereby the feed platewill be reciprocated in a forward or opposite direction, at the end ofwhich motion the pawl will again be retracted by the trip device. Inthis manner the pawl will alternately engage the two pins to effect thereciprocation of the feed plate to move the fabric back &

and forth the length of a single stitch at proper intervals to stitchover and over through the fabric at a single point, thus locking the endof the thread in an effective manner. After the thread is severed forthe release of the fabric, the mechanisn'i may be shifted for a forwardfeed motion in the manner previously described. By adjusting themechanism the thread may be tied or locked at the beginning or end ofthe seam in either of the ways described, as will be readily understood.

In making a garment or other article consisting of several or manyparts, two or more of the parts, after having been sewed together, mayhave to be handled many times before all these parts are united to formthe complete garment. In this repeated handling of the unfinished parts,the ends of the seams are subjected to more or less strain, whichloosens the stitches at the ends of the seams, and if the threads of theseams have been cut off close to the fabric, one or more of the stitchesmay avel out. To avoid this, careful operators leave a sufficient lengthof loose or free thread at each end of a seam and then tie the looseends to form a knot, to prevent raveling. This loss of thread and timeis avoided by my invention, since, having either shuffle orbackward-stitched the end of the seam, the thread is effectually lockedagainst raveling and the threads may be cut off close up to the fabric.Further, when it is desired to sew a zigzag seam across a piece offabric, to either strengthen or stiffen it, my mechanism renders theoperation easy and rapid, by avoiding the repeated reversals of thefabric that are necessary in sewing machines as ordinarily constructed.

In practice the latch plate 27 may be suitably secured to the hollow armof the machine, in which event the slot 26 and notch 31 will registerwith a corresponding slot and notch in the arm. If desired, however, alock plate as such may be dispensed with and the lever extended througha slot hav ing locking portions of the character de scribed formeddirectly in the arm. It will be understood that the pivotal mounting ofthe controller plate 34 adapts it to tilt back when struck by the pawl,to prevent injury thereto or to the pawl, when the shaft 1 is turnedbackwardly for any purpose, such as, for instance, in the operation ofelevating the needle bar to permit the needle to be threaded.

I claim 1. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of adrive shaft. a feed bar, eccentrics, one fixed to and the other looselymounted on the shaft, means actuated by the fixed eccentric forvertically oscillating the feed bar, means actuated by the looseeccentric for horizontally oscillating the feed bar, a clutch connectionbetween the shaft and loose eccentric controllable to set said eccentricto transmit either a forward or a backward feed motion to the feed bar,said clutch connection embodying a member having spaced contacts and asecond member movable to engage either contact, and an adjustablecontrolling device having contact portions to engage said second memberfor adjusting it into engagement with either contact or alternatelythrowing it into and out of engagement wit-h said contacts.

2. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, eccentrics, one fixed to and the other looselymounted on the shaft, means actuated by the fixed eccentric forvertically oscillating the feed bar, means actuated by the looseeccentric for horizontally oscillating the feed bar, a clutch connectionbetween the shaft and loose eccentric controllable to set said eccentricto transmit a forward or backward feed motion to the feed bar or areciprocatory feed motion to said bar, and means for controlling saidclutch connection for the purposes described.

3. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loosely mounted on the shaft, connectingmeans between the eccentric and feed bar for oscillating the latter, aclutch connection between the shaft and eccentric for reversing thedirection of feed motion of the bar, said clutch connection embodying amember having spaced contacts and a member movable to engage eithercontact, and an adjustable controlling device having contact portions toengage said second member for shifting it into and out of engagementwith the contacts.

at. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loosely mounted on said shaft,connecting means between the eccentric and feed bar for oscillating thelatter, a clutch connection between the shaft and eccentric forcontrolling the operation of the latter to secure a feed motion of thefeed bar in either direction or to alternately reciprocate said bar fora corresponding backward and forward feed motion, and means forcontrolling said clutch mechanism for the purposes set forth.

5. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, means for oscillating said bar including an eccentricloose on the shaft and connections between the same and the bar,circumferentially spaced contacts carried by the eccentric, aspring-actuated pawl mounted on the shaft and tripable to engage therespective contacts for transmitting motion to the eccentric to move thefeed bar either backward or forward on its feed motion, and

a controller having fingers to engage the pawl adjustable to set saidfingers to trip the pawl for either operation.

6. In a feed mechanism for sewing ma chines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft, means operatedthereby for oscillating the feed bar, a clutch member connected with theeccentric and having circumferentially spaced contacts, a clutch membercarried by the shaft operative to engage one or the other of saidcontacts for actuating the eccentric to transmit a forward or backwardfeed .motion to the feed bar or to'alternately engage the contacts forimparting a reciprocatory back and forth feed motion to the feed bar,and a device operative to control said clutch member for effecting saidoperation.

7. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loosely mounted on the shaft,circumferentially spaced contacts carried by the eccentric, a. springactuated pawl carried by the shaft to engage one or the other of saidcontacts for setting said eccentric to impart a backward or forwardmotion to the feed bar or to alternately engage said contacts to effectan alternate back and forth feed motion of the feed bar, and adjustablecontrolling means for regulating the action of the pawl for the purposesdescribed.

S. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withcircumferentially spaced contacts, a pawl fixed to the shaft to engagesaid contacts, and controlling means operative to effect the engagementof the pawl with either contact or its alternate movement into and outof engagement with said contacts.

9. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withcircumferentially spaced contacts, a resilient pawl carried by the shaftto engage said contacts, and an adjustable controller having portions toengage and trip the pawl to set it for engagement with either contact orto adapt it to alternately engage said contacts.

10. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withcircumferentially spaced contacts, a resilient pawl carried by the shaftto engage said contacts, and an adjustable controller having projectingfingers to engage and trip the pawl to set it for engagement with eithercontact or to alternately shift it into engagement with said contacts.

11. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withcircumferentially spaced con tacts, means including a rod actuated bythe eccentric for oscillating the feed bar, a pawl carried by the shaftand movable to engage either contact or to be alternately thrown intoand out of engagement with said contacts, a controller adjustablymounted on and movable with the rod and having portions for engaging andtripping the pawl for the purposes described, and means for adj ustingsaid controller.

12. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withspaced contacts, means in cluding a rod actuated by the eccentric foroscillating the feed bar, a pawl carried by the shaft and operative toengage either contact, and a controller mounted on and movable with therod and having portions for engaging and tripping the pawl.

13. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a feedbar, means for oscillating the same, a clutch device forming part ofsaid means for varying the feed motlon to move the bar either forward orbackward on such motion or to impart an alternate back and forth feedmotion thereto, and means independent of said clutch device forcontrolling the action thereof for the purposes set forth.

14. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a feedbar, mechanism for oscillating the same, a clutch de vice forming partof said mechanism for varying the feed motion of the bar, said clutchdevice embodying a clutch member having spaced contacts and acooperating clutch member to engage the respective contacts fortransmitting motion to respectively move the feed bar backward andforward on its feed motion, and an adjust-able controller havingelements to set said clutch member to engage either contact oralternately engage it with and release it from said contacts toreciprocate the feed bar alternately backward and forward.

15. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withspaced contacts, means including a rod actuated by the eccentric foroscillating the feed bar, a pawl carried by the shaft and movable toengage either contact, a controller mounted on and movable with the rodand provided with fingers to engage and set the pawl, and means foradjusting said controller to bring said fingers into pawl engagingposition.

16. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withcircumferentially spaced engaging members, means actuated by theeccentric for oscillating the feed bar, a clutch member carried by theshaft and operative to engage either engagin member, and a permutationcontrolling cIevice having fingers for engaging and adjusting saidclutch member. I

17. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withspaced clutch members, a tripable clutch member adapted to engage one orthe other of the first named clutch members to oscillate the feed bar inone di rection or the other, and a permutation controlling device havingfingers for tripping and setting said clutch member.

18. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a driveshaft, a feed bar, an eccentric loose on the shaft and provided withspaced clutch members, a coacting spring actuated clutch member on theshaft movable to engage either of said spaced clutch members or to bealternately thrown into and out of engagement therewith, and acontrolling device provided with portions to engage said movable clutchmemher for the purpose described and adjustable to move said portionsinto and out of operative position.

19. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, the combination of a feedbar, means for oscillating the same, a clutch device forming part ofsaid means for varying the direction of feed motion of the feed bar,said device embodying cooperating clutch members, and an adjustablecontrolling device having spaced portions to respectively engage and setone of said clutch members for oscillating the bar in one direction orthe other.

20. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, a driving shaft, anoscillatory feed bar, eccentrically operated means for oscillating saidbar from said shaft, a clutch device forming part of said means andembodying cooperating elements adjustable to vary the motion of thedriving connections to oscillate the feed bar in one direction or theother, an adjustable permutation controlling element having spacedcontact portions for setting said clutch for the purposes described, andmeans for adjusting said element.

21. In a feed mechanism for sewing machines, a driving shaft, anoscillatory feed bar, an operating connection between the shaft and barincluding a clutch formed of cooperating members, one having spacedcontacts and the other a pawl adjustable to engage either contact or toalternately engage the same, a cont-roller having spaced fingers toengage and trip the pawl, and means for adjusting said controller to setthe fingers into operative position.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTEMAS L. DAIVSON.

WVitnesses C. C. HINES, E. A. WVAKEFIELD.

